Triumph of Her Will
by C V Ford
Summary: Every real woman wants at least one ... Would you want THIS one? But then ... Everyone was someones' little baby once ... or twice. An AU wherein the war in 1925 concluded favorably. Pairings Tanya/Matheus, Visha/Vooren.


Triumph of Her Will

by

C V Ford

xxxxx

August, Unified Year 1930:

"To the Fatherlands' newest recruit!"

"HERE! HERE!"

Reverberations of the 203rds' members in response to their leaders' toast echoed throughout the large house on the sidestrasse of Berun. Proud parents of a second child at tableaus' center, the mother cradled the little one in her arms.

In suppress of a chill down her back she shivered oh so slightly.

_I wish she wouldn't say things like that,_ Visha holding her newborn closer.

Experiences of more than her unfair share of warfare made her more sensitive to the horrors of armed conflict than the vast majority of women in the Empire. Having looked the enemy eye to eye in combat, any thought of either of her two children going through the same struck her as grossly abhorrent.

After the victory over the Francois Republic in 1925 an uneasy truce was being maintained by the League of Nationals between the remaining Allied powers and the Empire. Lasting so far as it had it became a de-facto peace, with Visha hoping for it to last even longer.

The Empire now being generally looked upon as a bulwark against the Russy Federations' Braunstien regime an assurance of that.

The interim of peace for Visha quite eventful. Her marriage to Vooren Glantz, a child and now a second.

Gazing down at her newest.

"Well! ... ," the mother beaming, "look who's awake!"

_(... consciousness ... can ... can ... fully think clearly now. YES! ... What happened? I- ... A moment ago ... was committed wife and I ... we- ... Then that strange ... ENTITY ... conversing with me- ... He- IT! ...)_

_(No! ... Mustn't think about that ... Concentrate on now.)_

"Aaaaddy ... Aaaaddy," Visha softly intoning.

The infants' intense blue eyes sparkling in appraisal back.

_(Ad-dy ... Addy? ... My mother called me that ... but this person is-)_

_(She- ... This ... my mother? ... My mother was different ... had darker hair ... Could this be ... my new mother? That entity said a new existence in the offing ... Yes! I AM reborn and-)_

_(Are those military decorations on her blouse alongside that motherhood medal? Women in the military ... possibly combat!? Unheard of- ... Here? ... That entity did say a world like but unlike and-)_

The mother shrugged at the faint dull ache in her right shoulder. About to shift the baby to her opposite arm.

"Here Visha, let me," masculine voice offering to hold their latest.

_(Visha ... Visha? ... That's a Russian pet name for Victoria, yet- ... she looks more Nordic than Slav ... A high Russian? Descendant of the original Rus viking tribes perhaps? ... Yes ... Most acceptable.)_

"You're the father," in smile, gingerly putting the child into the mans' waiting arms.

_(My father? ... blond ... straight faced- ... This uniform he's wearing, familiar though somewhat different. Have I been born into a military family?)_

"To the Glantz family!" Another round of toast.

_(Glantz ... A good German name. And the language ... some differences but still understandable enough ... And these other people? Most in uniform ... Yes ...)_

Vooren talking softly to the bundle then noticed a small figure in ponderment to his left.

"Perhaps the colonel would like to hold?" Father turning to their commanding officer.

"Errrm," look of hesitancy crossed the face of Colonel von Degurachaff in her reaching out.

"There, support the head."

_(Colonel!? ... With decorations ... This mere strip of a girl? ... I don't see anything on the uniform indicating a youth organisation of some kind. Yet I do sense a feeling of intense power coming from this one.)_

_(Military women and even of high rank? ... And so young? ... Interesting ... A Germany with many more Stauffenbergs and Reitschs- ... most intriguing!)_

"Now there's a sight to chill the blood." One commenting to another on observance of the colonel cradling babe in arms.

"Oh?"

Originally not members of the Christening ceremony and party, both generals Erich von Lerugen and Hans von Zettour were received warmly. A staff briefing with von Degurachaff regarding organization and tactical doctrine of the 203rds' upgrade to regiment size/level finished early. At Tanyas' invitation they accompanied her to the ceremony. On acceptance, ulterior motive being to further acquaint themselves with the officers and men of the unit.

Their arrival certainly impressed the Glantzs' five year old son. Other than the odd (In Tanyas' case VERY!) colonel or so, he had never seen such high ranking officers close up before.

"Wow! Real ... GENERALS!"

The baptismal ceremony concluded, the party repaired to the familys' house just across the street from the church where the alcohol and for the present relaxed formality flowed freely.

A half hour in the two senior officers felt the urge for a smoke. Out of courtesy to mother and children they drew on their cigarettes out on the porch, breeze dispensing with the fumes.

"The very thought of THAT one having children," von Lerugen in continue, "just ... well ..."

"Frightening?"

"Very."

"Which reminds me ... ," von Zettour pausing then, "Have you given any further thought to what we discussed two days ago?"

_Sigh ..._

"Sir," the brigadier starting slow, "I mean no disrespect or insubordination with what I'm about to say ... I regard you as not only my commanding officer and superior but also as a friend and- ... uh ... I mean this sincerely ... and with all due respect ... well ...

"You hadn't temporarily taken leave of your senses then, had you?"

"HA!" Von Zettour let out an uncharacteristic loud laugh in response. Von Lerugen relieved.

With a smile and waving off the onlookers in house and other end of porch, the general turned to the brigadier.

"Maybe for but a moment. It would, after all, result in the loss of one the most effective weapons in our national arsenal. Marriage would automatically put her in primary reserves and motherhood into secondary.

"But think ...

"Here you are ... Now a general and in administration in the Service Korps of the General Staff. A man of rank, position and means. Still in your mid-thirties thus an even more brilliant future ahead of you.

"And unmarried.

"She," von Zettour nodding into the house at the subject holding and clumsily cooing to the baby, "has turned seventeen only last month thus of marriageable age for over a year. Like you, brilliant, with drive and ...

"As she looks as fecund as her former adjutant obviously is," noting the other child milling among the guests, "any children-"

"Any children I or anyone else would have by her would be- ," von Lerugen choking on it, "-demi-demons ... it-"

"Yes ... As you always remind us," senior generals' eyes in knowing roll. " 'A devil in the form of a ... well ... now not so little girl.'

"Well, fear not von Lerugen." Von Zettour assured. "She thinks less of it as well."

"Oh sir! ... You didn't!?"

"Yes. I mentioned the possibility of it to her as well."

"Of all the things I've thought of you ... matchmaker wasn't one of them."

"I'm directly and indirectly responsible for more than one happy union among our people in administration. Why do you think I get invited to all these weddings and ceremonies? Was hoping to get an invitation to yours one day."

"Well, to set your mind a ease you may get just that soon. I do have my eyes set on someone ... just," von Lerugen nodding toward the door, "not her ...

"Definitely NOT her."

"Just as well," von Zettour noting a change in position of the subject in question. "It seems it may be she has her mind set on someone else."

Colonel Tanya von Degurachaff was looking up from the infant in her arms and gazing wistfully toward one of two officers at the bookcase across the living room.

Both staring back as the accompanying Major Koenig slowly sidled away, stifling a cough.

The martial "madonna and child" in focus on the object of the colonels' attention leaving him ...

Aghast!

_Lieutenant Colonel Matheus Weiss. My adjutant and best officer. If it was to be anyone it would be HIM ... Yes ... Brave, strong, dependable ..._

_And unlike von Lerugen he doesn't smoke!_

Look on her face turning speculative.

_Yes ... There would be advantages being wed to the general. His position, higher rank ... I'd be out of any fighting if the Empire were to go to war again ... Safely out of the way and the easy life I'd always wanted ... That is if you'd call raising children along with the lifelong headbutting exercise marriage to him would entail easy._

_No ... If anyone it would be Matheus ... Matthew ... Matth-_

Tanya glanced down at the babe in her arms, speculative look softening momentarily then to slight frown.

_Nnnngh!_

Look up over and past Weiss to the wall, the still slight frown the only sign of her inner turmoil.

_Curse it all Being X! ... You had me reborn as a woman-_

_AND ALL THAT GOES WITH IT!_

_The implications didn't start hitting me full force until Visha gave me that oversize dressing gown when I went on leave for War College some years ago. Puberty was bad enough when I was a guy in my previous life but this time around was pure murder ... Just before I turned thirteen it hit me like a ton of plutonium bricks! Almost took a months' leave to sort my head out ..._

_That ... monthly inconvenience is no enjoyment either ..._

_Though the physical results are pretty good if I do say so myself and-_

She again looked down at the child she held.

_In my previous life I never complained when a date would ooh and aah over a baby. Silly girls thought I was showing my sensitive side when I actually welcomed it as an unexpected assist in the set up for later in the evening. More often than not it certainly helped and now-_

_The covert looks from men ... those urgings I now have and- ... I-_

_Hell ... I feel like an epicure who'd been magically turned into a main entre' at a five star restaurant!_

_I'm probably the closest thing to a genuine transgender in existence. Not like those pathetic delusionals from my life before ..._

_Yet ..._

Expression softened and with a momentary look of involuntary doe eye to a still startled Matheus then to the child, she started turning back toward Visha.

_Oh! Die Generäle ... On the porch ..._

In mid turn and maintain of wistful expression she halted arc, aiming the look at the porched two, von Lerugen in particular.

It was the brigadiers' turn in aghast, von Zettours' in stifling cough. Von Lerugens' look of appraisal of her sense of humor indicating it left much to be desired.

Tanyas' endearing gaze slowly metamorphosed into her trademark toothy, goblin leer.

The blonde "fright mask" in marked contrast to the wide eyed innocence of the babys' beatific countenance more than enough to make a komodo dragon gasp in astonishment and disbelief.

Certainly having its effect on a now even wider eyed Erich.

_Just what is she-? _Visha

_What th-! _Vooren

Finishing her turn toward the parents and noting the concerned looks, Tanya explained:

"Something of a private joke between certain members of the General Staff and I," pausing with a knowing grin. "Seems some are wondering if I'll ever get married."

Gently handing the little one to Visha, Tanyas' grin turned back to wistful.

"So this is little Adele."

_(A- ... Ad- ... ADELE! ... That- ... that's a girls'- ... A WOMANS' name!)_

_(No ... No! ... NO!)_

_(My name is Ado-!)_

The penetrating high pitch of plaintive screech ended abruptly as it began. All in room and on porch headturning in amazement to the bundled infant.

Two sets of intense blue mutually scrutinized. One up in defiance and determination. The other down in semi amused, eyebrow raised puzzlement and speculation.

_Hmmm ... If I didn't know any better I'd say Being X may have slipped a joker in the deck ... Wouldn't put it past him ... Going to keep an eye on this one anyway ... Both parents are mages and her brother tests favorably as well ..._

_(Very well then ... If that's the way it is to be ... )_

_(SO BE IT!)_

_(If women are more of a power in this new existence then my chances aren't so thin as it was for them before.)_

_(I was a force in my previous life ... I WILL be one in this as well ... )_

_( WILL! )_

END

xxxxx

For my other "THAT GUY returns" story, check out my Haibane Renmei story, Uncle Wolf.

xxxxx

Storyline (only) copyright © 6-30-2019 C V Ford

Disclaimer: The preceding is a NON-PROFIT work of fan fiction for entertainment purposes only. I make no claim to ownership of the COPYRIGHTED names/characters, places and events mentioned in this work. They are the sole properties of their respective owners. Please, by all means support the owners of such properties in the purchase and enjoyment of their original works.


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